Sojourn | Teo Nguyen

"I am a sojourner, a temporary resident. My idea of home is situated in the present interim and in the memory of places, times, and objects that evoke a sense of belonging, comfort, and serenity. These experiences are fleeting, fragile, and precious”  - Teo Nguyen 

Teo Nguyen’s Sojourn is a two-part exhibition featuring Vietnamese and Midwestern landscapes. Viewed together, the paintings delve into the relationships between temporal and spatial aspects of [im]migration, offering a new chapter in expressing reverence for the concept of home. Imagery include a wooden boat traversing peacefully through nature, serene landscapes along rural roads, and the artist's sister’s patio garden adorned with bougainvillea and houseplants in mismatched pots. Sojourn invites viewers to revere the concept of home from diverse and universal perspectives. It serves as a means for Nguyen to remember, even if only in glimpses, the essence of what constitutes home.

Nguyen studied art and design at De Anza College in San Francisco, Fresno State University in California, and École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His vivid scenes, executed in photorealistic technique, are composed from both memory and imagination. He often drives into the prairie to sketch before creating his large-scale paintings back in the studio. Sensitive to the novel scenery, light, and atmosphere, Nguyen reveals the beauty of his adopted home. Nguyen lives and works in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday: Noon - 5pm